America’s first female firefighter (and she was black!)

Posted By
Claire Martin
On
September 20, 2012 @ 4:44 am
In
Books |
No Comments

[/media-credit] “Molly, By Golly!” is Dianne Ochiltree’s charming picture book about Molly Williams, a servant who helped volunteer firefighter brothers stop a house fire during a blizzard

Molly Williams was the cook for a member of one of New York City‘s volunteer fire companies in the early 1800s, and became famous when she pitched in, helping the men battle fires.

Dianne Ochiltree’s book compresses time and history to tell the dramatic story for which Williams is best known: A house fire erupted during a blizzard, and she joined the other volunteer firefighters, helping drag a pumper engine through the heavy snow. Strictly speaking, that wasn’t her baptism by fire (sorry) — one historical record has Williams responding to a blaze in 1815, three years before the blizzard that inspired “Molly, By Golly!” But she did indeed go on to help fight fires for years.

Dianne Ochiltree‘s book takes minor liberties, slightly fictionalizing Molly’sOceanus Engine Company, but stays true to historic detail. Influenza epidemics did cut firefighters’ ranks, and without fire alarms, people had to spread the word about a blaze by running through the streets and calling out for help. Water was brought by hand, in leather buckets dipped into the freezing river — fire hydrants were a thing of the future — and passed hand-to-hand through a bucket brigade.